Stock Maxim 400

[ken56]

Hey everyone. My name is Ken. Bought an 83 xs400 Maxim about a year and a half ago. Came as engine, frame wheels and several boxes of parts. previous owner began a rebuild and gave up. Made for a great purchase price. the Jig saw puzzle is all back together now (just stock) and have had a good summer of riding on it. Just working out some minor bugs. This forum looks great. I'm very mechanicly inclined but this bike stuff is pretty new to me. Getting some good ideas from reading other posts. It has amazed me how many of these old girls are out there. Thought I had the only one. Not very tech savy so it might take me some time to figure out how to get some pictures up here.

 

[16VGTIDave]

Hi Ken, and welcome! It is great to see another Maxim owner in Ontario join us.

 

[bentwrench]

We probably have enough for a good sized ride some day... Welcome Ken!

 

[ken56]

Ya but may have to wait a while. Unless you've found snow tires for yours.

 

[SandyR]

Welcome from another recent member.
You Ontario guys may bug me about rain in BC but I would rather ride in rain than snow.

regards,
Sandy

 

[bentwrench]

HA! I'd rather take 3 months of snow, and 6 months of sun than 11 months of rain, 29 days of cloud, and 2 days of Sun (inevitably on Mondays only in July.)

 

[Lou Ranger]

Ya but may have to wait a while. Unless you've found snow tires for yours.

Hi Ken, welcome to the Forum.
You have a great bike and I am up for that Maxim ride, especially since I am closest to a geographical midpoint among Woodstock, Oakville and Lindsay. A reward from the fates for being the oldest?
I haven't found snow tires good enough for March 2013 - punishment, I think, for the month of March, 2012. Can we wait until April?

 

[Lou Ranger]

... 11 months of rain, 29 days of cloud, and 2 days of Sun (inevitably on Mondays only in July.)

B-W, you seem to have Sandy pegged as a hill dweller in the British Properties.
He could be from one of those sunny shanty towns on the lower mainland ...

 

[SandyR]

Actually I live on the side of the mountain in North Vancouver. Please don't any more of you Ontario guys move here and push our ridiculous house prices any higher than they already are.
Sandy

 

[16VGTIDave]

Not to worry SandyR! Northern Ontario has lots of trees and taller mountians (though their bases are well submerged in Lake Superior), so BC has little attraction to me.

 

[ken56]

Hey everyone. My name is Ken. Bought an 83 xs400 Maxim about a year and a half ago. Came as engine, frame wheels and several boxes of parts. previous owner began a rebuild and gave up. Made for a great purchase price. the Jig saw puzzle is all back together now (just stock) and have had a good summer of riding on it. Just working out some minor bugs. This forum looks great. I'm very mechanicly inclined but this bike stuff is pretty new to me. Getting some good ideas from reading other posts. It has amazed me how many of these old girls are out there. Thought I had the only one. Not very tech savy so it might take me some time to figure out how to get some pictures up here.

Just got this picture thing figured out. Needless to say I had some electrical issues.

 

[Lou Ranger]

I am so glad to see you use the past tense. I have therefore assumed that he photos are in date-order sequence.
LOL - I may never take my seat off, I never want to see or even know that there is a mess like that under there! . . . .

 

[willem]

that is an exeptionally large bunch of spaghetti right there

did you do a full re-wire? Looks like you tackled the problem very thoroughly

 

[ken56]

Thats how I got the bike. The PO replaced the fuse block under the seat and ran new lines to and from the fuse block. He did a nice job splicing everthing in but then gave up on the project. My only challenge was packing it all back in and re-attatching all the connections as he had removed all the signals, head and tail lights ,instrument panel, kickstand switch brake light swith and labeled nothing. My multi-meter got a good work out that day. Or should I say that month.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Gosh I got get me a maxium they are such cool looking bikes.Welcome Ken56

 

[Lou Ranger]

Gee Scorpio, maybe you just need to go for a little drive in the country:

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/mcy/3785911446.html

http://jxn.craigslist.org/mcy/3805707073.html


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[Scorpio1963]

The bean pot is pretty low right now I cant afford to buy another bike but I have my Jimmy forsale so with luck it will sell soon.I know if I sell my bike I probaly wont be able to find another.If I could get a ecent exhaust system and get it running again I`d be happy for a little while.I want something big enough so that me and Mrs can ride.